1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to all natural ruminant repellent compositions for discouraging ruminants from eating foliage. Specifically, the invention relates to compositions which are useful for deterring ruminants, particularly deer, from foraging on foliage upon which the compositions are applied. The invention further concerns methods for making the ruminant repellent compositions and methods for applying the same to various types of vegetation, e.g., flowers, plants, food crops, bushes and trees, that are subject to damage by browsing ruminants.
2. Background
Due to a lack of predators, the population of ruminants in rural and suburban neighborhoods has increased dramatically in recent years. In particular, deer populations in communities on the fringes of forested land increasingly forage on landscaped gardens, hedges, etc., resulting in costly and unsightly damage. Ruminants, including deer, also forage on saplings and agricultural crops, resulting in losses to timber producers and farmers, respectively.
Deer and certain other ruminants, however, are appealing animals. Accordingly it is unpopular to advocate the reduction of such ruminant populations by increased harvesting. Increased harvesting via hunting is also impractical or dangerous in suburban neighborhoods, where deer and other ruminant populations are increasing and the potential for foraging damage is acute.
It would be advantageous if these problems could be remedied short of extermination of the foraging ruminants, in particular to discourage the ruminants from foraging on ornamental plants and crops, and instead to revert to more natural food. The present invention provides a ruminant repellent composition that can be applied directly to vegetation to deter browsing by ruminants, namely by producing a taste and/or smell naturally associated with unpalatable plants. The compositions can be applied to various forms of vegetation without causing stress to the vegetation, and effectively discourage ruminant browsing for a period of time.